The central themes of Cry, the Beloved Country, consistent throughout all of Paton's works, focus on love and fear. This encompasses a love for all South African communities—Afrikaans-speaking, English, Black, Colored, and Indian—as well as a deep affection for the land itself. In the narrative, love acts as a binding force capable of bringing together the various ethnic groups. Through love, they can rise above their greed, fear, and mutual distrust. Essentially, love is depicted as the solution that allows them to live in peace and harmony, rejecting hatred and suspicion. Paton elaborates in the author's note to Cry, the Beloved Country, saying, "It is my own belief that the only power which can resist the power of fear is the power of love. It's a weak thing and a tender thing; men despise and deride it. But I look for the day when in South Africa we shall realize that the only lasting and worthwhile solution of our grave and profound problems lies not in the use of power, but in that understanding and compassion without which human life is an intolerable bondage, condemning us all to an existence of violence, misery and fear." Interestingly, the term "fear" is frequently mentioned throughout the novel, appearing several hundred times.